Founded in 1996, the group’s name reflects its dual musical identity: the word Diotima is a reference to German romanticism (Friedrich Hölderlin gave the name to the woman in his life in his novel Hyperion) and a standard for the music of its time, alluding to Luigi Nono and his work Fragmente-Stille, an Diotima.

They have worked with several of the finest composers of the late 20th century and regularly perform new works from outstanding authors such as Thomas Adès, Olga Neuwirth, Beat Furrer, Lisa Streich, Thomas Larcher and Rebecca Saunders. Reflecting today’s music, Diotima casts a new light on the masterpieces of the 19th and 20th centuries, notably those by Beethoven, Schubert and the Second Viennese School.

As an exclusive artist for the Pentatone label, Diotima released an album in 2023 to commemorate the centenary of György Ligeti, which received outstanding reviews worldwide.  Their recent album, dedicated to Anton Bruckner and Friedrich Klose, won the prestigious Diapason d’Or.  Upcoming releases will feature albums dedicated to Helmut Lachenmann and Pierre Boulez.